help me pick some LACs and universities!!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've visited LACs and bigger universities and I like them both, buttttt none of the visits were made when students were on campus, so I never got a true taste of the college life.</p>

<p>I'll tell you a bit about myself and maybe you give me some suggestions of a mix of LACs/universities that I'd like.</p>

<p>I am a libertarian who likes socialism, but I'm open to anything and everything.
I love learning languages just for the hell of learning them. History too.
I love music. I'm really serious about it. I considered applying to conservatories but didn't want to give up academics full-time (i = nerd) because there's so much else I want to learn. I definitely want to pursue music in college (probably not a dual degree though). This is probably the main factor for choosing my schools.
I refuse to go to a school without a decent amount of Asians.
I want to be close-ish to home - preferably within a 6-7 hour driving radius. I live in southeastern pennsylvania.
I want a school with an academically challenging environment, but not cut-throat.</p>

<p>THANKS!</p>

2

<p>Without knowing your stats, it's difficult to tell if this is a realistic option, but Oberlin (Cleveland area) would certainly provide the music focus along with your desire for academically-challenging environment, interest in language, history, etc.</p>

3

<p>Wait. A libertarian who likes socialism? Wut?</p>

<p>Macalester and Lewis & Clark?</p>

4

<p>Perhaps Reed College. The students there don't make any sense either (libertarian socialist????).</p>

5

<p>i love people who don't make sense!!!</p>

<p>stats -- 2160 combined SAT I. 3.9+ GPA. 1440 combined SAT II. no rank.</p>

6

<p>With your stats, Oberlin might be a great option. You want to stay within 6-7 hour drive from home and are highly interested in music in an academically-challenging, politically-diverse and tolerant community. Sounds nearly perfect...</p>

7

<p>Haverford College. It has every single thing you want.</p>

8

<p>Haverford, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, and Penn (the 4 schools of the Quaker Consortium) could all meet your requirements to the point of perfection. Apply to all 4 and see who takes you. And you can also be in 1 school and enroll in courses in the other 3. Bonus!</p>

9

<p>Wesleyan and Vassar too.</p>

10

<p>Check out Smith College.</p>

11

<p>I know Oberlin's been suggested, but I thought I'd suggest it again...</p>

12

<p>I'm still trying to figure out how you can be a libertarian and a socialist. . . </p>

<p>I agree with all of the above, but just to throw a big university into the mix, I'm suggesting NYU.</p>

13

<p>Double-majoring in music might be very difficult as a lot of rehearsal hours are required for that major. For a great musical atomosphere combined with top but not cutthroat academics, look into Rochester.</p>

14

<p>it's technically libertarian socialism, but not a lot of people seem to know about it?</p>

<p>Libertarian</a> socialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>

<p>smith and bryn mawr seem awesome, but i can't live without men. </p>

<p>and also, these schools should be mostly target schools, right? because i have enough reaches as it is...but you never know with them LACs.</p>

15

<p>You don't really "live without men" in female colleges. I mean, sure, they're not in your dorm, but that's not that uncommon. Most female colleges are associated with some other college or university that they're close too and all the girls have plenty of guys to hang out with. However, I don't speak from experience, only from talk, so might not be reliable source. I am thinking about applying to a female school myself, so yeah =)</p>

16

<p>CP, Williams has one of the best music programs among LACs with lots of performance opportunities even for non-majors. It seems to have everything else on your wishlist, but it may not be liberal enough. Though left leaning, it's not particularly overtly political.</p>

17

<p>Agree with TeaOverCoffee; you don’t really live without men at a woman’s college, unless you choose to.</p>

<p>Smith is part of a 5-college consortium (with Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke and Univ of Mass). You can take classes at any. There is a free shuttle bus to get to classes and activities at the other campuses. </p>

<p>It’s not hard to meet men in classes (5-college consortium), clubs, projects, organizations, social events. It’s nice to be able to focus on academics and work during the week (without distraction), and then socialize on the weekends.</p>

<p>Here’s a great perspective from SmithieandProud (from another post):

[quote]
Just for the record, I really liked Smith on its own merits, independent of it being a women's college. It had the right atmosphere, opportunities, and academic reputation I was looking for. </p>

<p>. . . There's an expectation of leadership at women's colleges that probably isn't present at co-ed schools (though having never been to one, i can't say for sure.) You're expected to think big, and to occupy the lead role. That can be frustrating sometimes, but it also pushes you to succeed at a higher level.</p>

<p>And women's colleges are fun. I like not putting on makeup before I go to class, walking around in my pajamas. I like that I can compartmentalize my life into study/work/friends time and party/boy/date time. I like hanging out with smart girls. I like that the campus comes to a stand still when Project Runway is on. I like that our gym is outfitted with machines designed to fit a women's body. I like a lot of things about it.
SmithieandProud

[/quote]
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